Button-setting die



No. 625,302. Patented May l6, I899.

G. A. HOLMES.

BUTTON SETTING DIE.

(Application filed Jan. 31, 1898.)

(No Modal.)

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GEORGE A. HOLMES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CON- SOLIDATED FASTENER COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

BUTTON-SETTING DIE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Common- 5 wealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Button-Setting Dies, of which the following is a full specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters represent like parts.

My invention relates to that class of buttons which are riveted to the article upon which they are used and it consists in an improved die for firmly holding and centering the buttons while they are being riveted.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved die, showing a button held therein and also showing a rivet being forced into the button by the plunger of a machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of same, showing the rivet forced through the button but not clenched therein. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, except that the die is shown compressed and the rivet clenched within the button. Fig. 4 is a plan of the under side of my die. Fig. 5 shows separately the pieces which make up my die. Fig. 6 is a side vertical section of my die.

In the drawings, X represents the upper part of a machine in which my die is held, and Y the movable plunger which drives the rivet into the button.

My die consists of the fixed spindle A, carrying on its end the axially-sliding head 13. The spindle A has on its lower end the anvilsurface O, which upsets and clenches the rivet when pressed against it.

The sliding head B consists of the supporting-ring D and the split gripping-sleeve E.

The interior of the supporting-ring D is provided with the shoulder 61, against which the collar a on the spindle A strikes. This collar a prevents the sliding head 13 from dropping off the end of the spindle A, but does not interfere with its free axial motion in an upward direction.

The button-head B is prevented from turning on the spindle A by allowing the pin 6' to project into and slide in the slot a on the spindle A.

The lower end of the supporting-ring D is SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,302, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed January 31, 1898.

Serial No. 668,542. (No model.)

provided with abutton-seat F, formed by a downwardly-projecting flange f around its edge. The flangef is cut away in front, as shown in Fig. 5, in order that the button may be slid into the seat F, as hereinafter described. The split gripping-sleeve E when in place has the form of a cylinder closed at the bottom, and it embraces the bottom and sides of the supporting-ring D. It is held in place by the circumferential spiral spring G, lying in the slot g, and also by the pins 6 c, which fit loosely in the holes d d in the ring D in order that the two halves of the split sleeve may be expanded slightly against the action of the spring G, which tends to hold them tightly about the supporting-ring D. The under sides of the split sleeve are cut away, as shown in Fig. 4, forming a square opening g at the center, so that the division of the two halves is on a diagonal of this central square opening. Toward the front of the die, from the square opening to the edge of the die, the under sides of the split sleeve are also cut away, forming a flaring opening g*, converging toward the square opening at the center. The front sides of the split sleeve are also cut away, as shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, in order to form an entrance 6' to the interior for a broad-flanged button. Thus it will be seen that a flanged button having a downwardly-projecting shank may be pushed rom the front of the die into the seat F, its flange entering the opening 6'' and its shank being forced into the flaring opening The spring sides of the split sleeve open and snap about the button-shank as it reaches the central square g and hold the shank in the center of the die. Thus a button will be firmly held and centered without regard to the size of its flange and allowing aconsiderable variat-ion in the size of its shank also.

The button-head B is held in its-lowest position on the spindle A by means of the compressed spring H, and when in this position, 9 5 as shown in the section Fig. 2, there is considerable room between the button in the seat F of the die and the anvil-surface O on the lower end of the spindle, so that in the operation of setting a button the rivet is driven me completely through the fabric and button before it meets the anvil-surface. The further upward motion of the rivet-carrying plunger carries upward the button and button-head, compressing the spring H and forcing the rivet against the anvil-surface O, which turns the rivet and clenches it within the button. As the plunger retreats the button-head drops back into its lowest position and the button set on the work may be easily withdrawn from the die.

While I have shown the operation of riveting one form of button with my die, it is obvious that it is adaptable to any kind of riveting-button where it is desirable to hold and center buttons accurately in the same die without regard to size.

I claim- 1. A button-setting die, comprising in its organization, an anvil-ended spindle, a supporting member movable thereon and having a button-seat, and spring-actuated gripping and centering jaws supported solely on and movable with the said member.

2. The combination with a spindle, of a button-supportin g member movable thereon, and radially-yielding centering members carried solely by the supporting member and having portions thereof extending under the lower end of the latter.

3. The combination with a spindle, of a spring-pressed button-supporting member movable thereon and having a lower flanged button-seat, and spring-retained centering members exclusively embracing the supporting member and provided with inwardly-extending bottom flanges below the lower end of thesaid supporting member and having their contiguous edges recessed.

4:. The combination with a spindle, of a supporting-ring movable thereon and having a button-seat the wall of which is recessed, of a split gripping and centering sleeve comprising semicylindrical members provided with segmental bottom flanges correspondingly recessed to permit the insertion of the button, and a spring encircling the split sleeve, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a spindle provided with an annular flange and a longitudinal slot, of a supporting-ring provided with an annular shoulder cooperating directly with the flange, and a pin engaging the slot.

6. A button-holding die consisting of an anvil-ended, slotted and shouldered spindle A, a spring H, and a sliding button-head B consisting of a seated and shouldered supporting-ring D, and split gripping-sleeve E having suitable side and bottom apertures, pins 6 e and embracing-spring G all arranged substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE A. HOLMES.

lVitnesses:

A. H. FLANNERY, L. A. STAGKPOLE. 

